PESHAWAR: The business community of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa opposed the jurisdiction order issued by Federal Board of Revenue, which shifted 128 of major taxpayers to Large Tax Unit (LTU), Islamabad, and warned to move court in case the decision was not withdrawn within one week.

The representatives of industrialists and traders at Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry here on Thursday told a press conference that they would resist the decision of FBR.

Speaking on the occasion, SCCI president Engineer Maqsood Anwar Pervaiz said that FBR had issued a jurisdiction order on August 5 that was implemented on August 10 under which the cases of 128 major taxpayers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were shifted to LTU without any solid reason.

He said that the decision would cause loss of time and money to businessmen. He termed the decision illogical and unfair, saying the taxpayers of other major cities including Karachi and Lahore were not facing such a situation but only Peshawar was targeted.

Mr Pervaiz said that the decision contradicted the FBR policies and regulations that always claimed to facilitate the taxpayers. “We completely reject it. We will resist it strongly if the decision is not withdrawn immediately,” he threatened.

Govt asked to establish Large Tax Unit in Peshawar

He said that instead of facilitating businessmen, the government was multiplying their miseries. He said that Pakistan’s position had improved in Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) to 108 from 126 but the government through its ‘anti-business’ decisions would bring back the country to its old position.

The SCCI chief said that besides large manufacturing units, small scale industries were also included in the jurisdiction order, which was unjust and unfair.

SCCI vice president Abdul Jalil Jan, FPCCI former president Ghazanfar Bilour, former president, Zahidullah Shinwari, Riaz Arshad, Mohammad Naeem Butt, Aftab Iqbal, Ihsanullah, Sherbaz Bilour, Malik Imran Ishaq, Bajuar chamber president Afzal Khan, SCCI tax adviser Shahid Ahmad, Saddar Gul, Faiz Rasool and others were present on the occasion.

They said that they were not take into confidence before issuance of the jurisdiction order by FBR. They termed it a conspiracy against the KP industries.

The industrialists said that the decision would add to their miseries and in prevailing situation many of the businesses would be closed down completely as they could not peruse cases in LTU Islamabad.

They said that FBR should establish LTU in Peshawar by appointing a separate commissioner there. They asked the FBR to withdraw its jurisdiction order forthwith and take decisions by making proper consultation with the business community.

Zahidullah Shinwari said that shifting of 128 cases to LTU Islamabad was unlawful. He said that LTU had no record of the taxpayers and as result the cases would cause loss of time and money.

He said that the KP tax refunds were delayed by FBR which created financial issues to the taxpayers. He said that cost of doing business would further increase owing to such policies. He added that it was violation of Article 10-A of the Constitution.

Published in Dawn, August 14th, 2020